LOSS OF CHURCHILL FELT IN AMERICA

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27631, 12 April 1955, Page 9

LOSS OF CHURCHILL FELT IN AMERICA

[Specially written for the N. NEW YORK, April 10. It is impressive, even astounding, that the resignation of Sir Winston Churchill had such an impact here and in Washington. His popularity has been immense since the dark days of 1940, and his audiences here for his war-time broadcasts were as great as, if not greater than, those for President Roosevelt's fireside chats. But not until he resigned did it become apparent how big a figure he cut in American thinking about world affairs. It is now clear that the majority of Americans who think about foreign affairs regarded him as a great rock set in a very turbulent sea—a veritable Gibraltar in the sea of international affairs. Had America lost the services of a great statesman of its own the loss could hardly have been more apparent, and it is a measure of the influence wielded, and the respect commanded by this man far beyond the borders of his country and even bebond the limits of the Commonwealth. In talking to various people in the last two or three days I have sensed strongly their feeling. “On whom do we rely now for direction?” This is no reflection on the stature or qualities of his successor—simply that a Titan has disappeared from the direction of world affairs.

Many Americans have long done much of their thinking from directions indicated by the Grand Old Man, and they feel sorely lost without him.

The “New York Times” stated all that need be said in one brief sentence: “To live with one of the truly great men of history is a privilege for which future ages will envy us.”

Sir Anthony Eden Popular That Sir Anthony Eden will be popular one can scarcely doubt. Americans hail him as the man who ended the epoch of British insularity from Europe and opened a new era py offering that dramatic and historic British guarantee of the defence of Western . Europe. ... r ? r Americans he could hardly have °? 2? a better note. A United States of Europe has long been an American dream, its emotional impact tending to obscure some of the difficulties.

Sir Anthony Eden has also endeared

Z.P.A. by FRANK OLIVER} himself to official Washington lately because his approach to an eventual Big Four meeting seems to coincide fairly closely to that of Washington and that is a much more cautious approach than Sir Winston Churchill has suggested. In the past Sir Anthony Eden and Mr Dulles have had their differences of opinion, but there is little doubt that they will be able to work amicably and closely together towards similar ends.

The certainty of British elections soon interests Washington greatly, and it is revealing no secret to say that American hopes are for a victory for Sir Anthony Eden and a good working majority that will ensure his remaining in office for some time. It is one of the curiosities of British-American affairs that the two great American parties see themselves occupying similar political territory to those of the two British parties, the Republicans with the Conservatives and the Democrats with the Labour Party. The Republicans feel at ease with the Conservatives and ill at ease with Labour, for they consider socialism a deep pink hardly distinguishable from the Communist red.

Democratic feelings are not so sharply defined, but they see themselves a little more at ease with Labour than the Conservatives.

This is a great misconception for in fact, as far as social legislation is concerned, the British Conservatives and the American Democratic Party occupy almost identical political ground. If anything, the present British Government is slightly left of the Democrats under President Truman and President Roosevelt. Quemoy and Mateu The Formosa Straits and the possibilities there continue to be an issue of great importance, but Mr Dulles seems to be slowly moving away, or perhaps one should say further away from the jingos who are willing to risk war for Quemoy and Matsu. His categorical statement that America has no commitment to defend anything except Formosa and the Pescadores, is being taken as an indication that the American Government is disinclined to use any American forces to defend Quemoy and Matsu, and most people who feared unlimited trouble if those islands were so defended, seem to be breathing a bit easier.